The Chicago Bears have admitted defeat, and are preparing for a huge rebuild.
According to NFL.com via a source with knowledge of the situation, the Bears would be willing to deal 30-year-old Matt Forte for the right price.
Forte is in the final year of his deal, and is the one tradable commodity on the team.
“They’re not just going to give him away,” he said. “There has to be value in the trade. It won’t just be a salary dump.”
Per CBS Sports, dealing Forte would be difficult, with almost no value coming back in return.
Dealing Forte will not be easy, though, given the expectation that Chicago would at least want a second-day pick (second- or third-rounder) in any trade for him. Forte is aging and carries a significant salary for this season ($7 million). It might require a team with real Super Bowl aspirations losing a starting running back, and even then it would require a serious financial commitment from an owner late in the year when budgets have largely been spent. And it’s a position teams are increasingly unwilling to spend on. Many clubs would prefer to use their own pick on a younger back on Day 2 of the draft, for instance. Some clubs contacted felt like any trade, if consummated, might happen close to the Nov. 3 deadline, with the price perhaps dropping for Forte by then.
Forte is a highly productive runner and pass catcher who could help a contender right now.
By Glenn Erby
